Creator economy refers to the process of planning, creating and monetizing content on Social Media. There is an infinite amount of career paths on social media and it’s up to each creator to recognize which path is best for their talents. If you have been debating about pursuing social media as a creator, full-time or part-time, we are presenting the ultimate creator guide to help you take the first steps into a career in content creation.

Here at Clapper, we believe that before becoming a creator you need to plan ahead and research, rather than just going at it blindly. Before dipping your feet in content creation, understand the kind of content creator you want to be. Once you understand that your content, it will resonate with a wider audience. So, before that first post, there is a few steps you can take to become the ultimate creator.

Get to know yourself!💭

One of the most common mistakes people make when creating a social media account, is that they try to create a persona that they think people will like. Social media has the most sophisticated bullshit radar, so any content that doesn’t seem authentic will not fly in any social media platform. So, unless your talent is acting or playing a special character on social media, the best bet is to stick to what you do best, which is being yourself.

You may ask yourself: How do I know what I can do best? The answer to this will either come naturally or you will need to ask yourself a few questions to get to the answer. Example:

• Do you have any hobbies that make you happy and that you are good at?
• Are you an artist? Do you enjoy crafting?
• Do you have any talents that you would be comfortable with sharing on social media?
• Are you good at giving people motivational advice? Are you a good public speaker?
• Do you enjoy fitness or nutrition?

These are just examples, but you get the idea. Remember that whatever you choose, you will need to find a way to make it unique and original. The most important aspect of becoming a creator is to be authentic and staying true to who you are as a person, regardless of what anyone tells you.

Goals, Availability and Expectations✔️

After deciding your niche (your specific content brand), you need to ask the hard questions. Are you realistically able to get into social media? How does your schedule look? Do you plan to this full time, or is it more of a side hustle? It’s important to understand your availability, expectations and goals, before starting to create content. This will give you a better idea of what you can do and what you cannot do. Social media is a fluctuating industry, so if anyone should ask these hard questions, it should be you. We created this check list to set realistic expectations for every new content creator. Feel free to fill it out.

Before Posting, Do Your Research📖

Not every social media is the same. What works on Clapper, will not necessarily work on Instagram or Twitter. Every social media has its own strategy, audience and content style. Before even thinking of a content plan, we recommend you spend the first few weeks diving deep into the social media platforms that you’ll be using. Make a list of the content that you like, that you don’t like, see how people interact with each other, and check out other communities. You should also try all of their features and familiarize yourself with them. For example, radios, livestreams, video editing, music features, etc. Also, a smart way to understand the platform is find creators that inspire you or share the same values as yourself and follow their content journey.

After researching for the first few weeks, you will have a better understanding of that social media and you can now sit down to plan your content.

Create A Content Plan🗓

Now that you know everything you need to know, it’s time to develop a plan. Some people take content creation as it goes and others have a tight schedule. It really does not matter which way you are going to go, as long as you stay consistent. Here on Clapper, we like a little bit of both. You should have days were you can improvise on your content, do some trends or even make something that inspires you that day. On the other hand, you should also have a consistent content drop in your schedule. Use the app’s features to your advantage and decide if you want to have a set event for the week. On Clapper, for example you can:

• Host a weekly radio show
• Host a daily livestream
• Post a series of short videos about a specific topic every Monday, for example.

The beauty of being a social media creator is that you are your own boss. You get to decide and create your own content schedule to fit your day-to-day life. Here is a template for you to create your own content schedule.

Make it Unique: Personalize Your Account💫

It’s time to create your profile!

Username: Decide on a name. It can be either your own name or the brand that your content will focus on. Think this one through, because that is how people will recognize you from for a long time. You can always change it, but remember, the key is always consistency.

Bio: Creating a bio is an art, but we recommend that you have fun with yours. Make sure to add key words on what your content will be about. After that, you can add:

• A quote you live by
• A personal hashtag
• The schedule for your set lives or radio shows
• A link to your other social media platforms

Customize your Group chats (Only for Clapper): Clapper’s group chat feature is a great way to have direct contact with your community. The way you set it up is up to you. You can send notifications about your latest posts, answer questions and have daily feedback from the community you are building. You can even provide special benefits to the creators on your group chat. The options are endless.

Customize content: Think about what you can do to elevate your content. You can do fun edits to your content, like transitions and text. Or maybe, covers for every video, so when people come into your profile they have a very visually pleasing experience. Make sure that whatever you do, it aligns with your values and your brand.

Monetize: All apps have different ways of monetization. Whether it is brand partnerships, shops sales, or token gifting, there is always a way to make money on social media. On Clapper, there are a few ways you can monetize: Clapper fam tiers, livestream gifts, Radio gifts, DM tipping, and the clapper shop where you can sale your merch. Choose the one that better fits your content and personality.

It’s Showtime: The First Post📣

You’ve researched, planned, made the content and customized your profile. All is left to do is hit that post button. Keep in mind that this is not the finish line. This is the beginning of the journey. In our next chapters, we will talk about community building, monetization, and analytics in depth. Stay tuned for part two of “The Ultimate Creator Guide”. We are excited to help you be the creator you’ve always wanted to be.